Vietnam U23 lost 0-3 to China U23
Following the 0-3 defeat against China U23 in the semi-finals of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship in Saudi Arabia on the evening of January 20th, the South Korean coach began with an emotional thank you and shared: “First of all, I would like to sincerely apologize to the Vietnamese fans, both those present in the stadium and those watching on television, because we were unable to win.”
I also want to thank the players, who fought until the very last minute, even when playing with ten men, and still strived to find the net. Our journey in this tournament is not over yet, and the whole team will prepare well for the third-place match against South Korea U23.”
Coach Kim Sang Sik is proud of what the Vietnam U23 team has shown (Photo: AFC).
Analyzing the match's progression, coach Kim Sang Sik stated that the personnel plan had to be adjusted unexpectedly: "We intended to bring Dinh Bac onto the field in the second half to create a change in the game, but Hieu Minh's serious injury in the first half forced us to adjust the plan earlier," he said.
Explaining why the Vietnam U23 team conceded a goal early in the second half after ending the first half with a draw, coach Kim Sang Sik frankly admitted: “Besides injuries, the whole team lacked concentration during the corner kick situation, leading to an early goal. This significantly affected our morale and confidence, preventing us from maintaining the desired game.”
Assessing their opponents, coach Kim Sang Sik expressed respect for the Chinese U23 team: “I was truly surprised by their defensive organization and tactical discipline. Chinese football is showing clear progress and they deserve to be in the final.”
"Our opponents made significant changes to their starting lineup, and we haven't had time to adapt well to those adjustments. I take responsibility for this."
Despite not being able to participate in the final match for the championship, coach Kim Sang Sik affirmed that the Vietnam U23 team still has reason to be proud: "We have proven that Vietnamese football is fully capable of competing at the continental level."
My players may not be flashy stars, but through their organized play and strong team spirit, they have made it to the semi-finals together.”
Vietnam U23 team surprised by China U23 team's rapid progress (Photo: AFC).
Looking back on the entire journey at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship, coach Kim Sang Sik expressed satisfaction with what his players had shown, while emphasizing the need for continued improvement in the future: “I am pleased with the spirit, discipline, and effort of the whole team from the beginning of the tournament until now.”
However, after this tournament, the players will still need to improve in many areas to reach new heights.”
Vietnam U23 will conclude the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship with a third-place match against South Korea U23 at 10 PM on January 23rd. Japan U23 and China U23 will play in the final at 10 PM on January 24th.
Watch the entire 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship Finals on TV360 at https://tv360.vn. Enjoy a smooth multi-platform experience, rewind and replay, and free Viettel 4G/5G data.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/hlv-kim-sang-sik-xin-loi-nguoi-ham-mo-quyet-tam-o-tran-gap-u23-han-quoc-20260121050441916.htm
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